Chelsea

I graduated from the University of Evansville with a BA in Spanish in May 2014. I love Spanish--learning it, speaking it, hearing it and teaching it so I look forward to working with you and your family! I have studied and lived in Costa Rica, and my experience there helped me immensely with my understanding of the language. I am currently working on my certification in healthcare interpretation, and am hoping to interpret for a hospital in the near future.

I love working with students and helping them learn to speak, write, and learn languages. Teaching in a classroom setting was never something I wanted to do, but working one on one with patients is very rewarding! I love seeing students' eyes light up when they make a connection--its so exciting when students are able to see that learning a language is so much more than memorizing vocabulary and verb conjugation. I love sharing the realization that learning a language opens so many doors and opportunities! I remember the feeling I had when I made connections and realized that I was speaking another language, not just merely repeating words that had no meaning to me, and I am looking forward to helping other students have those same realizations.

I try and teach and help students in ways they will understand. One of the benefits of a tutor is that he or she is able to teach in an individualized way, and I enjoy learning methods that will help each student whether they learn audibly, visually or a combination of any other methods. I don't teach and tutor to help students pass a test, or get a good grade, although that ends up being the result. What makes tutoring most rewarding for me is hearing that my students plan to continue learning Spanish well into their high school and college careers because they see the value in learning another language. Its so rewarding see students discover language and want to learn more!

I hope to talk with you soon, and I am glad to see you are taking initiative in you or your child's education! Nos vemos pronto! See you soon!

In a first session I would try asking the student why he or she wanted a tutor or if they think it will be beneficial. I'll try to get an idea of the different ways he or she learns.

How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?

For me, as a Spanish tutor, I would probably use tools like movies, music, cartoons, jokes, etc., to make the student realize that they are learning a language, and that a lot of the times, they know more than they think they know. As soon as a student is able to put the things they've learned to use, it can become a lot more real, and they start to really enjoy it.

How do you build a student's confidence in a subject?

I would give them situations and questions they can figure out so they are able to see the ways they can push themselves. A lot of students sell themselves short of what they are capable of.

How do you adapt your tutoring to the student's needs?

I try to teach to the student's learning type. If it is a student that learns by seeing things, I have them write questions out on paper. If they are an audible learner, I ask them questions out loud. I try to focus on their best way of learning, but I also try to train them to learn in other ways as well.

What types of materials do you typically use during a tutoring session?

I use pencils, dictionaries, my study notes and books, flashcards, reference material and more. I am honest with my students--there are times I will need help with a conjugation, word, spelling, definition, and more. I am continually learning, and I think my students like knowing that our sessions help me as well. I use different materials based on how the student learns.

What is your teaching philosophy?

My teaching philosophy is to try and meet each student where they are, and help them cultivate a desire and ability to learn.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

In order to keep a student motivated, they have to both have victories and challenges.